Bangladesh captain Niga Sultana has won the toss and chosen to bat first in the Women’s World Cup match against Australia in Visakhapatnam.
She has two changes in her line-up, opting to rest left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, who was injured during the last match, and exciting pace bowler Marufa Akter. Coming in are offspinner Nishita Akter Nishi and left-arm medium pacer Faritha Trisna.
“I think we were short of 30, 40 runs,” Nigar said of her team’s narrow three-wicket defeat against South Africa on Monday. “It was very hard to recover but we were talking to each other and I just said, ‘no compromise’. This is a game where we have to enjoy ourselves and give 100 percent.”
Bangladesh also pushed England in their encounter earlier in the tournament but will be up against it facing the defending champions who, like England, are so far unbeaten at this event.
Australia have also made two changes, rotating their quicks by replacing Kim Garth with Darcie Brown and handing a break to left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, who is on the comeback trail after undergoing knee surgery late last year, and bringing in legspinner Georgia Wareham.
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Alyssa Healey, the Australia captain, said she would have preferred to bat first also. They successfully chased down 331 against India with an over to spare in their previous match, at the same venue. “A beautiful place to play cricket, the crowd was electric the other night,” Healy said.
Play was set to begin in roasting, humid conditions with a pleasant breeze in the air.
Bangladesh: Rubya Haider, Fargana Hoque, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Nishita Akter Nishi, Fariha Trisna
Australia: Alyssa Healy (cap & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown
[Cricinfo]
